Artificial denture



(No Model.)

W J. J. STEDMAN.

ARTIFICIAL DE'NTURE. No. 452,653. Patented May 19,1891.

MINI;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. STEDMAN, OF LA FORTE, INDIANA.

ARTIFICIAL DENTURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters-Patent No. 452,653, dated May 19,1891. Application filed November 15, 1890. Serial No. 371,559. (N0model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN J. STEDMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at La Porte, in the State of Indiana, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Artificial Dentures, of which the followingis hereby declared to be a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification.

The object of my present invention is to provide improved means wherebythe dentures shall be firmly held in place under all conditions, andthis object I have accomplished by the improvements hereinafterdescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularlypointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of upper and lower dentures havingmy invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section uponline 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view in verticalsection of my improved spring mechanism. Fig. at is a View in sideelevation similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modified form of theinvention. Fig. 5 is a view in vertical section on line 5 5 of Fig. 4.Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view showing in detail the spring mechanismillustrated in Fig. 4. Fig. 7is a plan view of the lower spring-socketor plunger-socket illustrated in Figs. 4., 5, and 6. Figs. 8 and 9 showin side elevation a modified form of invention, the cover-plate D beingremoved from Fig. 8.

A and B denote, respectively, the upper and lower dentures, a denotingthe alveolar ridge of the upper denture, and b the ridge of the lowerdenture, these ridges being shown as furnished with the usual teeth 0.Between the alveolar ridges at their backs is placed the improved springmechanism next to be described, and this mechanism is located,preferably, in the place of the posterior molars, in which position Ihave found that no inconvenience whatever is experienced from itspresence. The preferred form of spring mechanism comprises atubularcasing D, within which is mounted 1n a manner free to slide a tubularplunger E, the casing D and plunger E serving to inclose the spring F,that bears upon the ends of the casing and the plunger and tends to holdthem in the relative positions seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Bypreference the plunger E and casingD are so connected together that theymay be readily disconnected by the wearer of the denture in order topermit it to be cleaned. One simple way of connecting the casing andplunger is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, in which form of theinventionthe casing D is formed with an interior screw-thread, whereby it isattached to the threaded baseblock or plate G, so that the casing D canbe readily removed from the block G by simply unscrewing it after thedenture has been taken from the month. By preference the plunger E is soconnected with the casing D as to prevent its being forced therefrom bythe spring F, and one convenient way of so attaching the plunger and thecasing is to form the casing D with a slot (1, in which will move thelug or projection e at the base of the plunger. The upper end of theslot (Z is closed, as shown, to prevent the lug efrom passing therefrom;but the lower end of the slot is formed continuous with the groove atthe base, so that when the casing D hasbeen detached from the block Gthe spring F can be withdrawn and the plunger E can be also withdrawn,as the lug or projection e is free to pass out from the slot d. Theblock G is permanently set within the ridge of the lower plate B andpreferably in the position of the last molar. In the upper ridge of theplate A, and preferably in the positions of the last molars of the upperjaw, are set the bearingplates H, against which will bear the ends ofthe plungers E. Hence it will be seen that when the plates are in placeand occupying the relative positions seen in Figs. 1, 2, &c., thesprings F will cause the plungers E to press against the bearing-blocksH and force the upper and lower plates A and B apart and cause theseplates to maintain their proper positions within the mouth of thewearer. The employment of upright spiral springs suitably incased notonly affords a very effective means for holding the plates A and B inpositon, but I have demonstrated by practice that the spring mechanismof such character and when so located does not in any manner interferewith the jaws or otherwise inconvenience the wearer.

In the form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 of thedrawings the casing D and plungers E are the same as those abovedescribed, and in like manner are provided with the coiled springs F. Inthis construction, however, the manner of attaching the plungers E andcasings D together, so that they can be conveniently detached forpurposes of cleanliness, is somewhat varied. In this last form of myinvention the casing D is provided with two slots (1 and (P, the slot clbeing continued through the upper part of the casing, as seen in Fig. 7,while the slot (1 terminates at a slight distance below the easing. Theslots d and (l are connected together at their bottoms, (see Fig. 4,)and these slots are formed of proper size to admit the lug e of theplunger E. From this construction it will be seen that the plunger E isset within the casing D by merely passing the lug e of the plunger downthe slot (1, then turning the plunger a partial revolution until its luge passes into the slot (1 where it will remain so long as the denturesare in use, and as this slot terminates below the upper end of thecasing it is obvious that the accidental separation ot the casing andplunger is prevented. When this means of detachably connecting theplunger E and casingD is employed, the casing can be permanentlyconneeted to the base-block G or formed in piece therewith, and thisblock can be permanently held within the ridge Z) of the lower plate B.The operation of this modified form of the'invention is obviously thesame as that hereinbefore described.

A further advantage incident to the employment of my improved springmechanism for securing the denture in place is that the upper plate Acan be made much smaller than is usually necessary, since when suchspring mechanism is used it is not necessary that the upper plate of thedentures shall extend over the entire roof of the mouth, but may beshaped much like the lower plate.

The details of construction above set out may be varied withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention, and certain features of theinvention may be employed without its adoption as an entirety.

In the modified form of the invention illus trated in Figs. 8 and 9 thecasing D is provided with the plunger E, as in the constructions abovedefined, the casing having also a base-plate G and a vertical slot (1wherein the lug e of the piston will travel. In this form of theinvention the supplemental slot (1 is a short slot that is connected atits bottom with the slot d so that when the piston is to be removed itis only necessary to turn the piston until the lug 0 passes into theslot (1, after which the piston can be withdrawn, as the slot (1 iscontinued through the top rim of the casing, as seen in Fig. 7. Theslots (1 and d in this form of my invention are covered by asupplemental plate or cap D, which may be conveniently soldered to theoutside of the casing.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. An artificial denture having the last molars omitted therefrom andhaving incased spring mechanism located between its plates in theposition of the last molars, substantially as described.

2. An artificial denture having spring in echanism located between itsupper and lower plates, said spring mechanism comprising a casing, aplunger within said casing, and bearing-blocks fixed to one of theplates to receive the thrust of the plungers, substantially asdescribed.

3. An artificial denture having springmechanism located between itsupper and lower plates, said spring mechanism comprising a casing, aplunger within said casing and detachably connected thereto, and aspring within said casing for forcing outwardly said plunger,substantially as described.

4. An artificial denture having spring mechanism located between theupper and lower plates, said mechanism comprising a casing, aplungermounted within said casing, and a coiled spring within said plunger andsaid casing, said plunger being provided with a lug or extension andsaid casing being provided with a slot or groove whereby the plunger andeasing may be detachably connected, substantially as described.

JOHN J. ETEDMAN. Witnesses:

GEO. O. DORLAND, OTTO DREBING.

